Title: Petition of Eleanor B. M. Hilleary and William H. Tuck, 11 July 1862

Date: July 11, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 6. The original document is held in the Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, 1775–1978, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 217.6.5. Within the National Archives' Archival Description Catalog, see ARC Identifier 4644616 / MLR Number A1 347 (http://arcweb.archives.gov).

Civil War Washington ID: cww.00880

TEI/XML: cww.00880.xml

 

PETITION.

To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the 16th of April, 1862, entitled "An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia."

Your Petitioners, Eleanor B. M. Hilleary, and William H. Tuck, Your Petitioner, administrator of Clement T. Hilleary, of Maryland by this their petition in writing, represents and states, that they are is a persons loyal to the United States, who, at the time of the passage of the said act of Congress, held a claim to service or labor against four persons of African descent of the names of Charles West, Robert Allen, Juliet Coates, & William Coates, her son for and during the life of said lives of said persons and that by said act of Congress said persons were discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said persons were of the ages of and of the personal description following:(1) Charles West, about forty years of age—of black complexion—about five feet nine inches high. Robert Allen, about twenty one years of age of dark complexion; about five feet four inches high—Juliet Coates, about thirty one years of age of brown or Copper Complexion, about five feet high—William Coates, about six years of age, well grown for his age, of brown complexion—He has lost the tips of three fingers of his left hand—These persons were all at the time of the approval of said act, and are now as far as these petitioners are advised, sound in body and mind, (except as to the said William Coates as aforesaid) and these petitioners know of no moral, mental or bodily infirmities or defects which impair the value of their claim to such service or labor, and they believe none whatever to exist, except as to the said William Coates, as aforesaid

 

That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) These persons, Charles, Robert, and Juliet belonged to Ann T. Hilleary, who died in April 1852, and who had owned them for twenty years, more or less; at her death the title devolved upon her father, Clement T. Hilleary as sole [distributor?], under the laws of Md. He died in 1859, leaving the said Eleanor his only child & [distributor?] who thus became entitled to the negroes aforesaid, and also to the child of Juliet born while the mother was owned by said Clement Hilleary unto the said William H Tuck, is administrator on his Estate, by letters committed to him by the Orphans Court of Prince Georges County, Maryland

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of three thousand dollars in money. (3) six hundred dollars in money ($3600.00) that is to say, Charles 1200$—Robert 1200$ Juliet and her child William $1200, three years ago they would have brought considerably more. The two men are first rate farm hands for general work, and are also excellent Teamsters, and for eight years past Charles has hired for twelve dollars per month, and Robert at the same rate, for the last four years, when he began to hire for men's wages. Juliet is a very valuable servant, being a good X

Your petitioners hereby declares that they bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that they have has not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

And your petitioners further states and alleges, that they have has not brought said persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons were was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioners further states and alleges, that their said claim to the service or labor of said persons does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against the Government of the United States.

And your petitioners prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of their said claim to the service or labor of said persons herein above set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they appraise and apportion the value of said claim in money, and report the same to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in conformity to the provisions of said act of Congress.

(Signed by)
Eleanor B M Hilleary
Will H Tuck admr
of C. T. Hilleary
X house servant in all respects. She is a good seamstress, & well acquainted with cutting, [illegible] & mending, & also Chamber maid & Laundress, and excelled by few persons in these various capacities. She hired for five dollars per month before she has a child and with her child hired for three dollars & a half & her clothes—
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

We I, Eleanor B. M. Hilleary & William H. Tuck being duly sworn, do depose and say, that all the several matters and things which are set forth and stated in the foregoing petition, as of my our own knowledge, are true in substance and in fact; and that all the several other matters and things therein set forth and stated, as from the information of others, I we believe to be true in substance and in fact.

(Signed by)
Eleanor B M Hilleary
Will H. Tuck

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 23d. day of May A. D. 1862. before me a justice of the peace of the State of Maryland, in & for Prince Georges County


A. S. Taft J. P.

I hereby certify that A S. Taft Esquire before whom the aforegoing oath appears to have been made, and who has subscribed the same, was at the date thereof, one of the Justices of the Peace of the said State in and for said County, duly elected, commissioned and sworn, and that his signature thereto is genuine

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court for Prince Georges County this 17th day of June 1862


Frederick Sasscer
clk
880
Eleanor B. M. Hilleary
Wm H. Tuck admin
Filed July 11, 1862.


 Note (1.)-- Here describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than one slave, describe each one separately.

 Note (2.)-- Here state how the claim was acquired, when, from whom, and for what price or consideration; and, if held under any written evidence of title, make exhibit thereof, or refer to the public record where the same may be found.

 Note (3.)-- Here state such facts, if any there be, touching the value of the petitioner's claim to the service or labor of the person, as may enhance the same, and also such facts, if any, touching the moral, mental, and bodily infirmities or defects of said person, as impair the value of the petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and conclude such statement with an averment that the petitioner knows of no other infirmities or defects of said person which impair the value of petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and that he believes none other to exist. If the petitioner specify no such infirmity or defect, then his statement touching the value of his claim should conclude with an averment that he has no knowledge of any such infirmity or defect.

Transcription and encoding: Kenneth M. Price, Nima Najafi Kianfar, and Janel Cayer.